Pears in Compote. Take wine and cinnamon, & a great deal of white
sugar, and set it on the fire and heat it hot, but don't let boil, and
strain; then take fair dates, and pick out the stones, and cut thin, &
add; then take pears, and pare them and boil them, and cut them in thin
slices, and place in the syrup; then take a little sandalwood, and add,
and set it on the fire; and if you have quinces, add them, and look that
it stand well with sugar, and well laid with cinnamon, and add salt, and
let it boil; and put it in a wooden container, & let it cool, and serve.

MODERN RECIPE:

2 cups red wine

2 Tbs. cinnamon

1 Tbs. sugar

1/2 cup sliced dates

4-6 pears, peeled, cored, and sliced thin

pinch salt

drop or two of red food coloring

Boil the pears until they are tender but not too soft; drain well. In
a separate pan heat together the wine, cinnamon, and sugar. Remove from
heat, strain the mixture to remove the cinnamon (I recommend using a sieve
or China cap lined with cheesecloth or paper towels), then return to the
fire. When hot, add the dates, pears, salt, and food coloring. Bring to
a boil, allow to cook together for several minutes, then remove from heat.
Place pears and wine in a wooden dish and allow to cool slightly before
serving.

Our modern pears, which can be purchased fresh from the grocery store,
are softer & sweeter than the type available to the Medieval cook,
and don't need to be boiled to soften before cutting; I also find cutting
cooked, soft pears a little inconvenient. To "pare" (from the Latin
parare
- to prepare) means to either "pare" (remove outer skin) or "to prepare;"
I have thus chosen "to prepare" my pears by slicing before boiling.

Composte is an Old French word meaning "stewed fruit."

Wardonys were a type of English pear common in the Middle
Ages - feel free to substitute any slightly hard, not-too-sweet variety.

Sawnderys, or sandalwood, was used primarily by Medieval cooks
as a red food dye. It can taste rather nasty if not used properly, and
is only recommend for authenticity's sake. Red food coloring is much cheaper
and easier to find.